


All Night

by city_bright



Category: The Mindy Project
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2018-10-03 04:27:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10235870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/city_bright/pseuds/city_bright
Summary: "If we're gonna heal, let it be glorious." -Warsan Shire





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello? Is this on? Are people still even checking this page? :P Anyway, I've been in such a mood in the past 24 hours after catching up on the show and rewatching old Mindy/Danny favorites that I needed to express that in some way. I wrote this piece months ago, but I thought there's no better time to publish it than now (even though I'm sure fic readers have diminished greatly). I was inspired by Beyonce's Lemonade film/Warsan Shire's poetry featured in it to write something, so here it is. The title is one of Beyonce's songs in her album, and I listened to that song repeatedly while writing this. I own nothing, please don't sue me lol.

Mindy tried, she really did, and she’d fight anyone who says she didn’t. She stepped into the stay at home mom role Danny wanted her to fill. She cooked, cleaned, took care of their child, voiced her opinions less, and became everything he wanted her to be. It was what he wanted, so she did it. It didn’t rock the boat, but it bent her into someone she didn’t recognize when she looked in the mirror. She felt stifled, and she was never one to be boxed in by anyone. She was scared when he left for California because then she would have to be a single working mom. But after she got the hang of things, she felt the most empowered she had ever felt. She knew she could be a doctor and be an amazing mother to her son. She didn’t need to choose one over the other, and she couldn’t wait for Danny to come back from California and tell him that.

He felt betrayed, said he didn’t even recognize themselves or their relationship anymore. She didn’t either at this point, but at least she was willing to work on it. Why couldn’t he see her, that this was what she wanted? He responded with his go-to explanation of how his father left him at a young age, was left to fend for himself and his brother and how he doesn’t want the same for Leo. She shook her head and reassured him that Leo is going to be perfectly fine and that the situation was different. She called him out on his bullshit, getting angrier by the second at his unwillingness to see her point of view, his inability to open his mind for even a second, his excuses. After what he had done, he doesn’t get to tell her that she’s making bad decisions when she was the one who was raising their child by herself. He doesn’t get to dictate what’s best for Leo and for them when he was away in California for months. He doesn’t get to tell her to give up her career when he’s not willing to give up his.

Everything seemed to spiral out of control after that, and she saw their future together disappear in front of her eyes. She remembered Danny once told her not to let anyone stop her from doing what she wants, not even him. Taking his advice, she decided to leave him. The numbness kept her up at night, and her heart was broken, but it was for the best for her and Leo. She dreamt that one day he would realize how he can change the story of his past, that it’s possible for this cycle to be broken, that she’ll never be who he wanted her to be. In the meantime, she couldn’t let this bring her down. She had Leo to take care of after all. She worked as hard as she has ever worked to support herself and her son. It was tiring and difficult, and she wanted to scream into oblivion most nights, but she told herself that it’d be worth it. She and Leo would be all right without Danny, that she knew. She always had a way of making the best of every situation, and this won’t be any different.

They've moved forward and met again, though not under the best circumstances. They met back in Leo’s school principal’s office, bickering and fighting over the same old problems. "I guess nothing has changed," she told herself.

Of course, they got stuck in an elevator because her life just had to be dramatic. It wasn’t smooth sailing at first because the last thing Mindy needed was to be stuck in an elevator with her ex with anger and daddy issues. But they got to talking, telling each other about the people they’ve went out with. Months ago, she wouldn’t have been able to hear about the women he's dated, but it didn’t sting as much as she thought it would. She wasn’t sure what made her do it, but she told him about the time she followed him around the city, running errands and helping an elderly woman. She was reminded of why she loved him, she told him.

He told her about Jody and the letter he wrote to her, asking her if anything ever materialized between them. She replied with a no, claiming that they’re not right for each other. She felt herself getting warmer, not quite sure if it was because of their increasing proximity to each other or if it was the unspoken agreement that _they_ were right for each other, in their own weird way. “What about you? Did anything ever get serious with the girls you were dating?” She saw the gears turning in his head, the microscopic changes in his facial expression. She asked, “Danny, what are you thinking?”, and everything started to move in slow motion. She felt him invading her space, the tingling sensation crash over her body in anticipation, and the warmth of his breath on her lips. And then it all came crashing down when his lips met with hers, one hand cradling her face, the other pulling her closer.

It was different, new, and familiar all at the same time. There was a moment when she felt an aching pang in her heart, that maybe this wasn’t the right decision, and maybe falling back into him would do more harm than good, but with every kiss, she felt herself being put back together again, little by little. His hands roamed over her body, leaving a hot trail that burned her skin, even under the material of her dress. He took her breath away like he always did, and it was everything she remembered and more. Her mind was blissfully hazy as the pleasure he had created consumed her, flooding her senses and washing away the sorrows she didn’t know she was carrying.

They walked side by side down the street just like they used to. It was nice, and she had missed the ease they have with each other and, quite frankly, she had missed _them_. They stood right outside her apartment to say their goodbyes and promise to see each other again. She’s not sure when or how, but they’re gonna start over. She’s hopeful that they’ll both end up okay, and that was more than she can say 5 months ago, so she takes it.

She turned back to call out his name, and he looked up at her with that smile and those eyes that she could never resist. “I love you,” she said, and she meant it, plain and simple. He will always be in her life, what they had was great, and maybe there is something greater waiting for them down the road. He has things he needs to work on, and so does she if she’s honest, but she absolutely loves him. He is the love of her life, and when he says “I love you too,” she knows she’s his too.


End file.
